






i\V<<», 



* ^P A^ * jA^^A ° ^ C> * 



<r 



A 



<, 






/■■''* 
















* * v> % ■* liifflfr ° J> ^ 













^ 













-7- 









*K7^ 



CENTENNIAL 



ISTORICAL ADDRESS, 



/•iDELIVERED AT 

R&venna, Portage Co., Ohio, 

JULY ATM, 1S76, 

'BY. GEN. ufw BIERCE. 



riial Celebrations are to-day, through- 

k several County Agricultural So- 

unmendation of the. State Board 

i /.ought, that they were intend- 

ideed, a western editor, 

m,. said I was to speak on 

county during the last. 

:se meetings. To do so 
y of V'»ur Agricultural improve- 
3 Portage county had a political exis- 
te of Ohio had an existence ; 
s.nd nine years before the United States owned a foot of land north- 
west of the Ohio river. 

One hundred years takes us back to a time when all north-west 
f the Ohio river was a vast region, known only as the North-Wes- 
tern Territory, extending from the Ohio to the Pacific Ocean — to a 
time when the beautiful fields that surround us were a wilderness, 
untrod by civilized man— when the only cattle were the wild beasts 
of the 'fox est, and the only agricultural products were a little Indian 
corn, and pappoose babies,— #nd the only mechanical arts were the 
■construction of the canoe, the bow and arrow. 



HOLDEN 


these 


out Ohio, under the aiispi 


cieties, and 6a. 


the a.< 


of Agriculture, 


it might s< 


ed as a Min : 




in ii ' 
the - 




one hund] 




would 




ments . - 




s :, twenty-f 


six years b 




It would be a pleasant theme on which to cha 
civilized life with savage barbarism— the railroad 
the church with the wigwam. But, as the addre? 
ered are to be preserved for the benefit-Of the i 
Ohio, fancv should give way to sober fact, and imag 
sketches be left for the novelist. 

The history of Portage County, as a county 
1808, but the territory, of which it is a part,- Was a 
S., from the Indians, by the Treaty of Fostn Mcintosh, ner- 
now Beaver in Pa., in 1785, when the histaf- of " the tern 

Territory" commences— but the history oi dve Westc 
back to ±662, By the Treaty of 1785, the fr&s S. a< 
ritory north-west of the Ohio river, and east of the ( ivei , 

Portage Path, and Tuscarawas. 

By this purchase from the Indians, the tXl 8. cla 
whole territory — but the State of Connecticut had 
by Charles II, of England, in 1662, conveying to 
colony, the territory bounded by the south line of Ms 
the north, to Long Island Sound, on the south. : 
ganset river on the east, to the Pacific Ocean o 
boundaries included not only what is now called ' 
portion of New York. New Jersey, nearly one-hal 
the northern part of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Micl 
sas, Nebraska, Utah, Oregon and California. • 
tract to be conveyed in one deed. How King C 
owner of it is unknown. He never purchased it.- and 
possession of it. The Indians, forunknowr 
ers and occupyers of the country, and, of right. 




and one to William Penn, for what is now Pern: 

these charters cut entirely across the territory p 

Connecticut, and a long controversy followed bi 

and the Duke of York, and William Penn, which was continue 

1664, when the king appointed commissioners to sett 

versy, These commissioners decided that Conn. rigtit 

to the territory embraced in the Patent or Charter of the Dr ' 

York, To this decision Connecticut was compelled t< • 

however, insisted on her claim west of New York, incl hem 

Pennsylvania. In 1781 Pennsylvania and Connects tnted 

commissioners to.settle the dispute, and an Act of Congress, wat 

sed, granting to these commissioners full power to act, and make a 



at. The commissioners met at Trenton, 'New Jersey in 
. full hearing decided that Connecticut had no right to 
: i dispute, but that it belonged to Pennsylvania. Com- 
iquish her claim on New York and Pennsylvania, Con- 
di to her claim west of Pennsylvania. This question 
he title of Connecticut had been a source of irritation so long 
:etermined to settle it— and Connecticut was equally 
i close the controversy. To avoid all further trouble, in 
by her Represents^ives in Congress, proposed to cede all 
of Pennsylvania, to the TJ. S.. excepting a Eeseeve 
/est of Pennsylvania, and north of latitude 41°. This 
j .3 accepted, ki 'the long controversy settled. This 
niles west of tiie western line of Pennsylvania, som'e- 
mply "the Reserve," sometimes "the Western Ee- 
• etimes " the Connecticut Western Reserve, " i-njt 
which vou may well be proud to call your home, 
ground* for which Nations and States have conten- 
Spain claimed the vast territory of which P 
, by virtue of the discovery of the extreme soul I 
now called Florida, by Ponce de Leon, in 15 ... 
-."ion of her claim of the whole continei I 

i assumed that God owned it, and that ] 
erent r p G< id, and had a right to dispose of it. Pro- 
-.•■1, and even Catholic France would not recognize the 
: Pope to dispose of* this territory/unless M 
Attorney from God himself. Englan 
posed the 8j anish claim, and determined t ■ ; 

be claim of Spain, those of England and France 
he only claim that France could c 
ft Marquette, and Hennepin and other French Catho- 
om Quebec, went up through the lakes and rivers 
lakes overland, to the Mississippi river, preaei, 
the J d planting the cross. On this feeble claim the French 

nership of all North America, and commenced build- 
Forts from Quebec to the north-west end of lake Mi-j 
' across to the Mississippi, and down that river. They 
> in the interior : showing a determination to enforce 
necessary by a resort to arms. Among their for 
ahoga river in what is now Northampton, in th 
piston, The English claim was. based on the fact that 
in 141 father and son, sailed along the coast, and discov- 

d— though there is no evidence that they, or any 
t en landed on the coast for twenty years thereafter. 



France and England though deadly opposed to each other, wer< 

ted in their opposition to the claim of Spain, and by their advances 

sc uth, and finally by a settlement formed by Sir Waiter Raliegh, in 

: . in North Carolina, backed as he was, by the power of 

Spain was compelled to abandon her^elaim to all of the territory ex- 

cepl Florida. Which she was ailowedto hold by virtue of its discovery 

by Ponce de Leon. 

England and France now became £ : proprietors of this valu- 
ed | rize, and it - ion became evident thai, both nations were prepar- 
» test their exclusive claim by an arbit ition of arms.' The In- 
dians, who were real owners were not consulted in the matter. In 
1754 the long threatened contest began, and continued till 1760, when 
France was completely defeated, and by the Treaty of Paris, in 1.763 
; ansferred her title to America to England, and England, by the 
Treaty of 1783, at the close of the Revolutionary War, surrendered 
. of Canada, to the United States. 

->f Fort Mcintosh, in 1785, the Indians ceded all 
ie Ohio river and east of the Cuyahoga. 
Tn scrawas river to the United States, by v 

. perfect, equitablo, as wel —the 

nglish and Indian c in the 

I i tie. 

By I aise between th ' 

te deed of the 1 - 
conveyed tl 
VJ . if'Penn to the State of 

of it to the Connecticut- Land Co., for 
tl :i' $1,200,000— and that compan; 

a Morgan, Jonathan Bi 
. to hold, as Tic- e< 
; all the land Titles on the Re 
This claim of Connecticut, under her charter of . 
involving the colonies of Connecticut and 

1 3e of the first successfii : es to 

British tyrrany. Two years after granting the charter to Con 
he king of England granted to his brother, the Duke of Yc 
g er of what is now New York, cutting entirely across the te 
r .veyedto Connecticut by her charter. That colony won' 

acknowledge the validity of the charter of the Duke of Y< 
made the Connecticut river the western boundary of their colony, 
and to test it built a fort at Saybrook, on the west side of the 
and of course on territory claimed by the Duke of York. The Duke, 
backed by his brother the King, determined to enforce his claim, and 



5 

for tbat purpose ordered Major Andross, Governor of New York, to 
proceed to Saybrook with a military force and drive off the intruding 
Yankees. 

On the eleventh of July, 1675, just one hundred years before the 
commencement of the Revolutionary War, Gov. Andross, with seve- 
ral armed sloops, cast anchor in front of the little Fort, and hoisting 
the British flag demanded its surrender. Captain Bull, in command 
of the Fort hoisted the British flag and refused to surrender. A par- 
ley was agreed on and Gov. Andross and staff landed, and met Capt. 
Bull, and producing the charter of the Duke of York, commanded 
that it be read. Capt. Bull, with as much decision, forbid its being 
read. Gov. Andross enquired: " What is your name sir?" "Bull," 
said the captain. " Bull," said the Governor. " well you ought to 
have tips on your horns." 

Finding he could not effect his object, the Governor weighed 
anchor, hoisted sail, and returned to New York. This Capt. Bull the 
hero of Fort Saybrook, and the first snccessful resistant of British 
tyrrany, just one hundred years before the commencement of the 
Revolutionary war, was the grandfather of Thomas Bull of Hartford, 
Conn., one of the original members of the Conn. Land company, from 
whom many, in Portage county, especially in the eastern andsouth- 
ern parts, derive their land titles — generally known as -'the Bull 
tracts." 

From this feat of Capt.jjBull originated the curt, slang expression 
" Bully" for a great, daring or noble act. 

But there were other conflicting claims to the vast territory of 
which Portage county forms a part. 

New York claimed to own the Reserve as far west as the Cuya- 
hoga river— af? that river was the western boundary of the Iroquois 
or Six Nations of Indians, that New York had taken under her con- 
trol. Virginia claimed the whole North-Western Territory on two 
grounds. First by derivation of title from "The London Land Co." 
in which that company had conveyed to Virginia, in 1619, all the 
territory extending along the coast for 200 miles north and south 
from Old Point Comfort, "and up into the land throughout from sea 
to sea, west and*north-west." The difficulty with this claim was that 
" The London company " was dissolved and its charter declared for- 
feit on a writ of quo warranto in 1624, and the grant was resumed by 
the King. 

Secondly, Virginia claimed that if her title was not good in con- 
sequence of the dissolution of the company from whom she derived 
it, she owned it by right of conquest. Notwithstanding the Treaty of 
1783, the English government, in open violation of the treaty, main- 
tained garrisons at Detroit, Vincennes, Kaskaskia, and other places. 
From these British posts the Indians were supplied with arms and 
ammunition, and encouraged to war on the defenceless American 
settlements. The frontfer of Virginia being extensive was particular- 



6 



* 



ly exposed to Indian excursions. In 17§8 she claiming to be a so 
eign independent state, raised a body of troops to capture and 
troy these British forts. The troops, under the command of ( 
George Eogers Clarke, captured the British posts at Kaskaskia, and 
Vincennes. together with Col. Hamilton, the British Governor. By 
virtue of this conquest Virginia claimed the conquered country, alu - 
erected it into a county of Virginia, by the name of Illinois. 

The claim of Massachusetts was based on a charter granted bv 
the King of England at a period when the territory was claimed 
occupied by France — also on a charter similar to that of. Connecticut, , 
but of a date thirty years later. Conneticut based her cla 
charter of 1662. • - ■'. . % 

The titles of Spain, France and England were extinguished. 
Indian title purchased, but these conflicting claims amors the Stat 
for a long time darkened the prospect of tht . i Union. 

der these circumstances congress made a st: 1 to the s€ 

states which asserted claims over the territory, 
that threatened the common cause, by liberal cessions foi 
mon benefit. New York .was the first to listen to the a] 
early in 1780 she relinquished her clair.. Virginia followed 
by a cession of her claim, excepting a -i act of 1 

tween the Scioto and Little Miami river 
Military Tract," which she reserved as bom 
Massachusetts next followed the lead c 
ceded to the United States all of her claim- 
Connecticut ceded her political jurisdiction 
claim, and the fee of the land to all except "Th< 
miles west of Pennsylvania, Thus, by an appea 
the people were these conflicting charter s, and 
soil, and political jurisdiction amicabl 
mony restored— and the confederacy r 

These conflicting claims had to be led 

have been no Union of the States. Th 
New York would have the Cuyahoga ri 
Thev had to be reconciled, or Virginia would lave 
north-western territory, and consigned it 1 
be reconciled, or Massachusetts B would ha i e 
serve. They had to be reconciled, or the little State of Coi 
would have owned to the Pacific Ocean, or civil war would I 
lowed. All these issues were pending on the decision of th< 
in respect to their claims. A more momentous quee 
submited to any people, but, thank God, the patriot; 
pie was equal to the emergency, and these ye; 
been a source of irritation, and strife for more r 
were honorably, patriotically, and voluntarily adjusted by an 
to the people. 

By these various cessions, ending with tnat of Connecticut, u 



7 

1786, all conflicting claims were adjusted, and the United States be- 
came sole owner of this vast region. To recapitulate: Spain was 
coni'pelled. by France and England to surrender all her claim except 
to Florida, By the Treaty of Paris, in 1763, France was compelled 
to cede all her claim to England. By the Treaty of 1783, at the close 
of the Revolutionary war, England was compelled to surrender her 
claim to the United States. The United States, by the compromise 
with Connecticut in 17S6, ceded to Connecticut the fee in the soil of 
120 miles west of Pennsylvania, and north of lat. 41°, On the 5th of 
September 1795, Connecticut deeded it to the Connecticut Land Co., 
who, on the same day deeded it to John Morgan, Jonathan Brace, 
■and John Caldwell, in trust, to sell for the company. And it is a 
remarkable fact that every one of these Trustees lived till every acre 
wa .-old. Previous to this sale 500,000 acres, off the west end of the 
R serve, were in 1792, granted by Connecticut to the inhabitants of 
Sf London, Fairfield and Norwalk in that State, for losses by the; 
ing of those towns by the British in the Revolutionary* war. 
' ■ i this circumstance they are called " Fire Lands." The balance, 
3,000,000 acres was sold to the Land company for $1,200,000, 
)« g about forty cents an acre. The Land company having secured 
1: ■ title resolved to survey the Reserve into Townships of five 
square, and for that purpose, in 1796, organized an exploring 
: l^ion of forty-five men, two women and one child. Of this 
>er was your late fellow citizen Amzi Atwator, of Mantua, who 
Li .on the 22d of June, 1851, at the age of 75 years, being the last 
. .vivor, but one of that company. 

The party met at Ganandaigua, in the state of New York, June 
14, 1796. They all arrived at what is now called Coneaut, on the 
4th of July. 179@, just eighty years ago, where they celebrated our 
Independence by firing guns and drinking toasts in whisky punch. 
This was the first celebration of the day on the Reserve, 

They built a warehouse on the beach, at Coneaut, in which to 
store their provisions — fixed the south-east corner of the Reserve,, 
and from there run twenty miles west on the south line of the Re- 
serve — at every five miles running a line (called then a meridian, 
now a range) to the Lake, They also surveyed, and laid out the city 
of Cleveland, and built a cabin at the foot of what is now called 
Union Lane. 

On the l$th of October, 1796 the party left; leaving "Stow cas- 
tis," on the beach at Coneaught, and the cabin, at the foot of Union 
Lane, the only relics of civilization. 

Soon after the exploring party left, Judge Kingsbury, from the 
state of New York, with his wife, arrived at Coneaught, where he 
legated in "Stow castle," without a white person within many miles. 
In the same fall necessary business compelled him to return to his 
former home in New York, Expecting to be gone but a short time, 
he provided what provisions he thought were necessary for his wife 



8 

during his absence, and left her alone in the wilderness. While in 
New York he was taken with a severe fit of sickness,, which confin- 
ed him till winter. There was not a Post Office nor mail ©n the Re- 
serve, by which he could correspond with his- wife„and she wag left 
in gloomy uncertainty as to his fate, or reason for not returning. 
Her provisions gave out, and starvation stared her in the face. As 
soon as he was able he started for his wilderness home. At Buffalo 
he hired an Indian for a guide, and at Erie — anticipating the wants 
of his wife, he purchased some flour. In crossing Elk eroek on the . 
ice hfs horse broke through, and was so much disabled that he was 
compelled to leave him. He then took the flouar on his back, and 
started with gloomy forbodings. On his arrival at his home he found 
his wife stretched on a cot, pale and emaciated with hunger. Near 
her lay an infant, born in his absence, which liad expired for the 
want of that nourishment which the mother was too exhausted to 
furnish, and too feeble to bury or remove it. Such was the fate of 
the first white child born on the Reserve — being the first birth and 
first death. ■ 

In 17^7 the Connecticut Land company organized a second ex- 
ploring party, which met at Schenectady in the state of New York 
in April of that year. They arrived at Coneaught on the 25th of 
Mav Some of the surveyors were sent into the woods from Cone- 
auo-h't. and the rest were ordered to Cleveland. Judge Atwater. as 
he & was subsequently called, with the cattle and horses went by land. 
In swimming the horses over Grand river near its mouth, David El- 
-dridge was drowned. The body was soon after recovered but too 
late so restore animation. The boats soon after arrived and took the j 
body to Cleveland, where it was buried, being the first white person 
buried in that place. . 

The great object of the Second expedition was to finish the me- 
ridian or Range lines, commenced by the first expedition— the trav- 
erse of the Cuyahoga river, Portage Path, and Tuscarawas, as these' 
were the boundary between the purchase made of the Iriquois, at 
Ft, Mcintosh and the Western Indians. This line was run by Mosea 
Warren, whose field notes were, a few years ago, in possession of 
Gen. Sam'l. D. Harris, your former County Surveyor and Auditors 

On the 5th of July, 1797, Richard M. Stoddrrd, one of the survey- 
ors was ordered to complete the 6th meridian, or range. Stoddard 
being lame Atwater took his compass'and run the line for ten miles 
when Stoddard ovortook him and took the line and finished it. At* 
water, with one assistant, then left thaa line,and met TheodoreShep- 
liard, the Physician of the expedition, at the north-east corner of 
Palmyra. To make myself understood I am compelled to use mod- 
ern names for the Townships,— at that time they were known by the 
number, and range of the township. Thus, if I was to speak of 
township 3, in the 8th range, few, perhaps would think I was speak- 
ing of Ravenna— but that was the name by which it was known, it 



feeing the eighth township west of the Pennsylvania line, and the 
third township north of the southern line of the Reserve. 

On arriving at the north-east corner of Palmyra Moses Bicknell 
an assisstant, who accompanied Atwater, was taken by a violent fe- 
ver. At water took the compass and run the line between Brace ville 
and Windham, where Bicknell became too sick to ride on a horse. 
Here was real trouble. At a great distance from any comfortable 
place for the sick — without medicine, and ignorant of its use if they 
had any ; no guide but their compass or township lines marked on 
the trees. To get him to Cleveland was most desirable, if possible. 
Necessity was the mother of invention, They took two poles, and 
fastened them together with bark, so as to go by the sides of two 
horses, like the thills of a wagon — one horse following the other, so 
far apart as to admit a man to lie lengthwise between them. With 
barks and blankets they made his bed as comfortable as possible, 
and by twisted bark ropes lashed it to the pack saddles. 

Atwater left Shepherd, with one assistant, to run the remainder 
of the line, as best he could, and started with the sick man for Clev- 
eland. He went south to the corner of Palmyra, then west on the 
third parallel. The next morning he sent a man ahead to their camp 
on theCuyahoga to have a boat ready to take the sick man down the 
river — on the old Indian trail from Ft. Mcintosh to Sandusky, he 
met his messenger with the sad intelligence that the camp was bro- 
ken up and the boats gone. Atwater then directed him to go to 
Cleveland and have a boat come up, and meet him at the south line 
of Independence, in Cuyahoga county. Atwater proceeded north, 
on the west line of Stow to the north line of Summit county, and 
then west to the place appointed for meeting the boat. In this lit- 
ter they had conveyed Bicknell five days, and a distance of fifty 
miles. He had a high fever all the time and had his reason but a 
small part of it. They arrived at the river early in the forenoon of 
July 25th, and Bicknell died in about two hours thereafter. Tinker 
',he principal boatman, with a boat arrived a little afternoon. At- 
water was anxious to take the body to Cleveland, but the boatmen, 
from a superstitious notiou that it boded bad luck to carry a dead 
body on the boat, refused, and he was buried near the river on the 
south line of Independence. 

I have given this case at considerable length, to show the hard- 
ships and privations of those who, by their toil and suffering pre- 
pared this region for our home. It is a singular fact that in the first 
exploring expedition of 1796, there was very littla sickness, and not 



10 

a death — while in the second expedition, of 1797, there was an im- 
mense amount of sickness and seven deaths. 

This year, 1797, was remarkable for two celebrations of our In- 
dependence — one at Randolph in this county, the other at Burton, 
Geauga couney, 

On the first of July a party was sent to run, and mark the paral- 
el east and west, between the first and second tier of townships north 
of the south line of the Reserve. This line, of course, run between 
Randolph and Rootstown. The party arrived on the north line of 
Randolph on the night of the third of Ju{y, where they found a fine 
spring of water. The party having plenty of whisky, and the spring 
furnishing plenty of water, they resolved not to work on the nest 
day, but remain at the spring and celebrate our Independence. In 
the company was an Irishman, who loved Independence and whisky. 
He got so full of Independence and whisky, during the day tlfat he 
died in the night. Having no tools with which to construct a coffin 
or dig a grave, on the following day they sharpened sticks with 
which they made a hole large enough to contain his body, in which 
they deposited him uncoffined. Fifty-two years afterwards. Elias 
Shriver, who owned the farm, on digging a cellar near the spring dug. 
up the bones of this man who died of patriotism. Judging from 
their work the rest of the company were nearly as patriotfc as Pat- 
rick — for on starting their line they run north of west, taking from 
the northern townships and adding on to the southern, until they 
got to about the middle of Portage township, in Summit county, 
when they found they were several rods too far north. Instead of 
going back, and correcting their line, they here made a square off- 
set down to the true line. This offset appears on the map, and is 
unaccountable without this explanation. 

On the same day with the celebration of "the Fourth " in Ran- 
dolph it was also celebrated in Burton, Geauga county. In 1796 
Judge Young, from whom Youngstown in Mahoning county takes 
its name purchased the land where that city is located, and went on 
with his surveyors, to survey, and mark it out. About the first of 
July, James Hillman of Northampton, Pa., who had been an Indian 
trader, among the Western Indians and French, from 1786, on re- 
turning from one of his excursions, on passing down the Mahoning 
river (in Indian, Mauming, meaning a road to market,) in his canoe, 
discovered a smoke on the bank of the stream, and, ojj going to it 
he found Judge Young and his surveyors. Judge Young induced 
Hillman to abandon his roving life, and settle on his land, which he 



\yx 



ti 

did, and built the first house in what is now the city of Youngstown. 
This town of one house and two men was so important an event 
that •' the Connecticut Land company" resolved to survey, and mark 
a road from the mouth of Grand river to Youngstown. For this 
purpose they employed Turhard Kirtland, then of Connecticut, but 
afterwards botter known in Ohio as Judge Kirtland of Poland, Ma- 
honing co,, to survey and mark the road. Kirtland raised a compa- 
ny of assistants who met near the mouth of Grand river, at a place 
afterwards called " Skinner's Landing," and commenced their work. 
On the third of July they got to Burtou. As the company had a 
plenty of whisky, and Burton could furnish plenty of water, they re- 
solved that they would not work on the next day, but celebrate our 
Independence. 

At that time there was not a Post Office or mail on the Eeserve. 
The nearest Post Office was at Pittsburgh, to which they sent, and 
from which they received their letters. For this purpose one of the 
company by the name of Adkins, was appointed mail carrier. In 
one of his trips to Pittsburgh he met a friend who had just returned 
from Philadelphia, bringing four lemons, which he gave to Adkins. 
With these it was resolved to celebrate with Lemon Punch. For a 
punch bowl they had to nee a tin milk pan. In the company was 
one man who left home and jcined the company, in consequence of 
an incompatability of temper between him and his wife — in other 
words they fought like cats and dogs, and she whipped him. On 
this account he left her, and joined the Kirtland paity. On getting 
the punch well mixed Kirtland raised the milk pan to his lips and 
gave as a toast, " our wives and sweethearts at home," and taking a 
swig passed it to the next, who repeating the toast, took a suck and 
passed it on, till it came to the man with an incompatible temper, 
who repeated the toast with an amendment. He gave, " Our sweet- 
hearts at home — the Devil take the Wives." This is noteworthy as 
it was one of the second celebrations of our Independence and' the . 
/first time that lemon punch, or a lemon, was ever seen on the Re--, 
serve. 

The year 1797 was remarkable for the first wedding, and the first 
christening of a baby on the Eeserve. Col. Alexander Harper, and 
'others, arrived at Harpersfield, Ashtabula county, from Delaware- 
county, N. Y. In the company was a fine young widow, by the name 
,of Mingus. There lived, at the time, at Newburgh, Cuyahoga coun- 
ty, a bachelor by the name of James Hamilton, who found it was 
not good for man to live alone, and hearing of the charms of widow 



12 

Mingus, resolved to make her mistress of his cabin. He accordingly 
took two horses, and riding one, led the other through the woods to 
the abode of the widow. He found her no less willing to exchange 
her widowhood than he waa to exchange his bachelorhood, for mar- 
ried life. But here was a pinch — there were no magistrates on the 
Reserve, nor a preacher to marry them. But where there is a will 
there is generally found a way. There was then living on the lake 
shore, about five miles west of Grand river, a man by the name of 
Moses Park, who had been a Baptist preacher, but getting a little 
loose on the handle, had abjured not only his profession but his re- 
ligious faith. As he had been a preacher they declared it " a case 
of emergency," and that he would answer. Hamilton put the wid- 
ow's feather bed on one horse, for a side-saddle, on which she rode, 
and he mounted the other horse, and they started through the 
woods in search of the quandom preacher. On arriving at his cabin 
and informing him of their business, he objected, as he was not a 
preacher — but on their urging the necessity of the case — that there 
was no preacher, nor Justice on the Reserve, he consented to assume 
the sacredotal functions, and in due form pronounced them husband 
and wife. They mounted their horses and proceeded to their cabin 
home in Newburgh. The decendants of widow Mingus and Hamil- 
ton are among the best citizens of that place — and physically, men- 
tally and morally will compare favorably with the descendants of 
those married in the most orthodox styie. 

In 1797 David Abbott, a lawyer from Worcester Co., Massachu- 
setts arrived' on the Reserve and located on the Chagrin river, where 
Willoughby now is. He was on one bank and an Indian town on 
the other. The following year his wife preseuted him with a beau- 
tiful little daughter. She must be christened, but here was the troub- 
le — there was not a preacher on the Reserve to perform the import- 
and business. This child was not only lovely in the eyes of its pa- 
rents, but an old Indian chief, by the name of Waubemong almost 
adored her. He would take her to his camp, on the opposite bank 
of the river, and decorate her in all the splendor of Indian taste*, 
He asked of Mrs. Abbott the privilege of christening her in the In- 
dian manner, to which Mrs. Abbott consented, On the day set for 
the ceremony Waubemung appeared in full dress — the eagle feath- 
ers in his cap indicating his ranK as chief, and after much religious 
ceremony he received the babe in his arms, and with upturned face 



13 

lie invoked the blessings of the Good Spirit on it as he pronounced 
its name, in Indian, signifying Forest Flower, Her parents after- 
wards had the bad taste to change her name from Forest Flower to 
Mary O., by which name she was married, on arriving at woman- 
hood, to Frank D. Parish of Sandusky City, where she died several 
years ago. It thus appears that the first wedding on the Reserve 
was solemnized' by an apostate preacher, and the first child christened 
by a pagan Indian chief. 

In 1798 Amzi Atwater, one of the exploring expeditions, select- 
ed his land on the north side of the Cuyahoga, in Mantua, where 
Mantua Station now is, though he did not become a settler till 1800. 

It now appeared that there was in the N. W. territory 5000 free 
white male inhabitants, which, by the Ordinance of 1787, entitled 
them to a territorial Legislature. Before this the Governor and 
three judges, appointed by Congress, possessed all power, legislative 
judicial and executive. A more arbitrary, despotic form of govern- 
ment was never devised. The people were now entitled to elect 
delegates to a territorial legislature, but the right of voting was res- 
tricted to freeholders in fee simple of fifty acres of land. No others 
were entitled to vote. The Governor also had a veto power, by 
which he could annul any law the legislature might enact, The 
Governor issued his proclamation directing that on the 2nd Tuesday 
of October, [then] next an election be held for the purpose of elect- 
ing one person to represent each county in a territorial legislature. 
At this election the whole Reserve gave forty-two votes. 

The year 1799 wes a noted era in the history of the Reserve. 
William W. Williams erected a grist mill at the falls of Tinker creek 
in Newburgh, Cuyahoga Co., where the inhabitants could get their 
corn ground. Before this they had to pound or grate it, or go to 
Steele & Norton's mill at Bloomfield, Ontario co., N. Y. Another 
remarkable event of this year was an addition to the population, by 
the birth of Horace Daniels, the first white male child born on the 
Reserve. He was born in Boardman, Mahoning co., on Christmas 
day. He will be remembered by all the old settlers, as a leading 
man in Gilbert's stage line, from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. It was 
also remarkable for the increase of population by emigrauts from 
the east, Abraham S. Honey was the first settler in Portage co. He 
settled in Mantua, Benjamin Tappan, commonly called Judge Tap- 
pan, came to Ravenna in June, 1799, and in a letter to me he says 
that on the night before he arrived at Ravenna he staid at the house 
of Abraham Honey. As he had a house there in June, 1799, he prob- 



14 

ablv came there in 1798. This was the first house in what is now 
Portage Co. Benjamin Tappan, of Northampton, Massachusetts 
owned about two-thirds of Ravenna township, then called Town 3, 
Rattle 8. He arrived in June, and erected a cabin in the south-east 
part of the township, near Campbellsport. His was the second house 
in the county. John Ward arrived in 1802, the third settler. 

Settlers now flocked in. In July, Lewis Ely, Lewis Day, and 
Daniel Diver arrived in Deerfield, in a wagon,— which was the first 
waffon that ever crossed "the mountains." Caleb Atwater settled . 
in Atwater township, Benjamin Tappari in Ravenna, David Daniels 
in Palmyra, and Martin Sheldon in Aurora. 

The'yeai 1800 is memorable for the first organization of a ciyj,t 
government of the Western Reserve. Gov. St, Clair, in July, 1800, 
issued his proclamation, erecting the whole Reserve east of the Cuy- 
ahoga, into a county called Trumbull, with the county seat at War- 
ren. Warren had become an important place, having four log cab- 
ins ?,nd sixteen inhabitants. 

In February John Campbell, (aftorwards known as Gen. Camp 
bell,^ Alva Day, (afterwards known 1 as Judge Day) and Joel Thral 
left Connecticut on foot and arrived in Deerfield on the 4th of March, 
On the 7th of November following Campbell was married to Sarah 
Elv, a daughter of Lewis Ely. They were married by Calvin Aus- 
tin, of Warren, who, in company with Calvin Pease, then a young 
lawver, but afterwards Judge of the Supreme Court, came to the 
wedding on foot, there being no roads. This was the first marriage 
in Portage Co. The first white child born in the county was Eunice 
Harmon! a daughter of Judge Elias Harmon, who was'born in July 
1800 in Mantua township, on arriving at womanhood she married 
Simon Sheldon, and died in 1849. The next was Polly Day. a daugh- 
ter of Judge Alva Day, of Deerfield— bornfAugust 22d, 1800. She 
was the second white child born in the county, and the first born in 
Deerfield. She afterwards became the wife of Jeduthan Farnum, 
and died many years ago. Mr. Farnum still survives — being th# 
oldest resident of Deerfield. Arner May Hudson, daughter of De£- 
con David Hudson, and now the wife of Harvey Baldwin of Hudson 
next put in an appearance. She was born on the 29th day of Octo- 
ber. 1800. All of these were born in " the North-Western Territory, n 
before Ohio had an existence. 

In 1801 a brighter future dawned on the Reserve. Before thi ■ 
the nearest Post Office was at Pittsburgh. There the whole Reserve 
had to go nearly an hundred miles to deposit or receive their letters. 



N : without t 


he means of information, but the high 


officers at Wa si 


rnorant of where it was ; for in 


a rrespondenee between C 


Elijah "Wads worth, of "Wa 


ti General P< e, a lei 


tttfi to him from the Postmaster General 


ife-di ted 1 ' t. Elijah 


Wadsworth, Warren, in the Connect!- 


CI leUl Plttsl 


This is probably the first and 


ia hal •■" :• ^'en, Tmir. 


co., was located "near Pittsburgh," 


.;'.■ C bober, 18 mail 


es dished from Pittsburgh 


to V ' rren — the ma 


arried en his baek, once in two week 


a iii named Gilson. This 


was a great relief to the people of the 


R • c The een n ■ f 


■wed that the eastern divieloi 


the 5f rrth-Westerii TerritOr; 


y had a, population of ovei 


1 


f 17-S7 to form a State' Government. On 


the BOth of M ■ ■ 


t ceded her / olit u claim o\" i i 


the »i u-ted a Pa1 


:ent, or deed tie fee in the soil to 


thai E t< n April, 1 '. 


i ! gress passed 1 to enable the 


ea : . >n of the N, W 


rite y to forma Constitution and 


State unent— the >peor 


ile to vote on the 2d Tuesday of October 


I8< . The meiktbers foi 


nvention were elected and met at Chili- 


col : c on the first day 1 Of . 


2, and in three weeks formed a.bet- 


ter n than, with a' 


11 the legal tinkering, we have had si . 


an almosl 


■ unknown / ,; io . now t r >ok her place 


as ree, 




]{{ 


ts rem ■ : Oh this anniversa- 



t$ proudly erect, the peer, and equal of the noblest 

l < )hio thus proudly stood forth, Portage coum 
it in an ■ ■■• sw I till ai Act of the Legis 1 

art of the tract, or parcel oi 

was erected into a new c 

J April. < a: year a plat of E 

n: ed into vill - ^corners of the lots, and g 

|< by marks on the ' h ivhich it was coverec 

->-,>•• then a w fieri es 



je plat. 

plat of Ravenna 



oi 
sc. 
di 



Fohn Boosinger, who 
plat. 
plat of Ravenr 

man "and Frazer 



into pleasant gardens. 



the law creating I -tag 
fctke noise of Benjamin I 

east corner of Ravenna, in Jtagust 

■ meet the house took fire 
ins the Judges, consisting of Ca 
liam Wetmore, rater, and 

bled around 'the siting rums 
court, and then ^joi tig • 

ird J Thompson now lives. Thi 
23d 1803. At this term the Com; 
lature to locate the county seat re] 
Joshua Woodward rem< 
•^Itaiog cabin on the,; 
public square, where the old Exc, 
Ward of Kent was boi n— being the 
plat. For this, extrao v nary tea 
With a village lot in th. south-wes 
■-. ted him Sheriff and re 

Post Master Gener. 

*out >t 

andi 1 fie wilderness whei 

favor the XJ. S. Reived 
ing the mail. Some thought 
,ountoflandni Taimyr 
through, had some influence-but wha 
hiab people. 

° On the organization of the i 
cattle faTtfae county 1239-h rse : 
,4— cattle 26,271-^hoTses 8,1/ 
cents a bushel—and a ieaf I have « 
the prices the people were^a^ 

"3 yards calico at $1.06, $3.13, 

50c, 40c; 1 pound nails 30, 
15; 1 paper pins 37£; I pou »<l o 
;.00,fl.50." Such were the pn 

>U But i am tiring your patience. f\ 
close-leaving your bri: a j . mm 
tv in agriculture, ana mecht 
and vktues il peace, to the one who . 
Centennial. 









If ;=,*" 










v 0o 






v ^ *"* s s \^ ^ y o , x 




<&"*, 









%4 



^ Arv?^'* 








_<^^v 






* » o r > 



> k* 4£T + <% 




C5> Jr 







A _ v i 8 „ *£* ° * x 









* A ■• 




UBRARVB.NO.NG % * *%SJfe|^ ^ A & 



ST. AUGUSTINE jj 




.^ 



